искам да + Verb
Wanting with Искам Да
Искам да + verb means "I want to" do something: Искам да пия вода. (I want to drink water.)
How It Works
The pattern: искам (in any person) + да + a present-tense verb in the same person.
Искам да спя. (I want to sleep.)
Тя иска да учи. (She wants to study.)
Искаме да видим морето. (We want to see the sea.)
Forms of искам: искам, искаш, иска, искаме, искате, искат, like чакам.
Wanting a thing: Before a noun there is no да: Искам кафе. (I want a coffee.) In a shop or café many people ask more softly with може ли: Може ли едно кафе?
Questions and saying no: Ли follows искам: Искаш ли да дойдеш? (Do you want to come?) Не goes in front of it: Не искам да ходя. (I don't want to go.)
The same person matters: If the second verb has a different ending, you want someone else to act: Искам да пие вода. means "I want him (or her) to drink water". See искам да + друго лице.
Looking ahead: After да Bulgarians often use the perfective partner of a verb for one complete action, as in дойда (come) or видим (see). This is explained in свършен вид след да. The same да pattern works with мога да and трябва да.
Examples (6)
- Искам да пия вода.
I want to drink water.
Word by Word: I-want that I-drink water.
- Искаш ли да дойдеш?
Do you want to come?
Word by Word: Want-you (question) that you-come?
- Тя иска да учи български.
She wants to study Bulgarian.
Word by Word: She wants that she-studies Bulgarian.
- Не искам да ходя на работа днес.
I don't want to go to work today.
Word by Word: Not I-want that I-go to work today.
- Искаме да видим морето.
We want to see the sea.
Word by Word: We-want that we-see sea-the.
- Искам кафе, моля.
I want a coffee, please.
Word by Word: I-want coffee, please.
Before a noun, искам is used without да.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out да.
Искам пия вода.Искам да пия вода.Bulgarian has no infinitive, so the second verb needs да in front of it.
Giving the second verb the wrong person when you mean yourself.
Искам да пие вода.Искам да пия вода.Искам да пие вода means "I want him or her to drink water". To talk about your own wish, both verbs need the I ending: искам да пия.
Putting да before a noun.
Искам да кафе.Искам кафе.Да is followed only by a verb. Before a noun, use искам on its own.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Искам да needs the present endings of every conjugation because Bulgarian has no infinitive.
Related Patterns
- мога да + VerbBeing Able with Мога Да
Uses the same да + verb pattern to say what you can do.
Level 1 - трябва да + VerbHaving to with Трябва Да
Uses the same да + verb pattern to say what you have to do.
Level 2 - искам да + Another Person's VerbWanting Someone Else to Act
Shows how to want someone else to do something.
Level 2 - да + Perfective VerbPerfective Verbs After Да
Explains which aspect of the verb to choose after да.
Level 2 - може лиAsking Permission with Може Ли
Offers a softer way to ask for something than искам.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
- да ... лиOffers with Да ... ЛиLevel 2
- за да + VerbPurpose with За ДаLevel 2
- недей да + VerbDon't with Недей ДаLevel 2
- хайде да + We-Form VerbLet's with Хайде ДаLevel 2
- без да + VerbWithout Doing SomethingLevel 3
- бъдаThe Verb БъдаLevel 3
- вместо да + VerbInstead of Doing SomethingLevel 3
- преди да + VerbBefore Doing SomethingLevel 3
And 4 more in the full list.
Words in This Pattern
Practice искам да + Verb in Bubblegum
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